“In times of war and elections, nursing is on the front line”

This is where I learned of the first 16 British nurses to arrive in France. We have republished their names here so that they get the recognition they deserve alongside all the brave souls who played a part in the Normandy landings. There is also a picture of them in military uniforms in the back of a lorry on their way to their deployment. If you knew them, please contact me.

“Our cover story is an interview with Andrea Sutcliffe, Executive Director of the Nursing and Midwifery Council”

I also had the pleasure of speaking to Dan Barton, founder of the charity Standing with Giants, which is behind the 1,475 silhouettes overlooking Gold Beach, each representing a life lost on D-Day.

Among them are the figures of two women, sisters Mollie Evershed and Dorothy Field. They were on a hospital ship that struck a mine off the French coast on August 7, 1944. When it sank, they helped save the lives of 75 wounded men before losing their own lives.

Staying on the historical theme, the Florence Nightingale Foundation celebrates its 90th anniversary in July. Known for supporting the development of nursing professionals through scholarships, the foundation can trace its roots to the founder of modern nursing and her work in another conflict, the Crimean War.

Our cover story is an interview with Andrea Sutcliffe, chief executive of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, who is stepping down for health reasons. We asked her about her key achievements and the challenges that lie ahead for her successor at the regulator.

We also have some fantastic clinical practice content this month, including how to perform a cardiovascular assessment, the role of magnesium in the body, a project to recruit students into primary care, and how to prevent drowning in patients with epilepsy.

As we went to press, the General Election was just days away. Over the last eight months, we have been writing a manifesto of your views to inform candidates on how you think they should tackle the challenges facing health and social care. A manifesto by nurses is now published in full.

We will know very soon which party will form government and Nursing Times will be lobbying to make sure your voice is heard.